Morning, or, the Man of Taste 1802 - 1811

This print, "Morning, or, the Man of Taste" was created by Henry William Bunbury in the late 18th century. With delicate lines and muted watercolors, Bunbury composes a scene of domestic discord that is as visually arresting as it is socially incisive. Notice how the composition is anchored by a central table, around which the drama unfolds. The artist's use of caricature exaggerates the figures' features. This heightens the satirical impact. The man of taste, with his bulging eyes and pursed lips, becomes a grotesque parody of refinement. The contrast between the dark servant and the powdered figures of the gentry lays bare the racial and class tensions of the time. Bunbury destabilizes the established order by turning the mirror on the follies and affectations of the elite. The print remains a potent commentary on the performative nature of taste. It reveals its complicity with systems of power and exploitation. The artist ensures that the pursuit of taste is not a neutral aesthetic exercise, but a deeply political one.